2012 Gippsland Year in Review

We wondered at what the future might be like under a carbon tax as the Federal Government prepared to fork out millions of dollars in compensation to help power stations and then later dropped the contract for closure program, a key part of the carbon pricing legislation, whereby some Latrobe Valley power stations would be paid to close by 2020.

We watched on as Moe fell into the media spotlight as the epicentre of a 5.4 magnitude earthquake, the rumble felt as far as Melbourne and Western Victoria. We counted the millimetres of rain as nine Gippsland Rivers went into flood and the Morwell River broke its bank into the Yallourn coal mine.

The State Government tightened its higher education budget purse strings to the tune of around $100 million and then we saw TAFE providers across Gippsland announcing the sacking of employees and dropping of courses due to the cuts, teachers, staff and students alike rallied against the changes.

During the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Games we held our breath for the Gippsland athletes competing. Another feather to Gippsland's sporting cap was the Great Victorian Bike Ride which spent nine days winding its way through the area.

To read more in our online coverage of news and events through 2012 follow the hyperlinks in the summaries below.

Businesses and the wider community were still pondering what the effects of the legislation might be and any uncertainty was fuelled again later in the year as the Federal Government announced it was dropping the contract for closure program citing a breakdown in the negotiations of a shut down price offered to power stations.

Community groups started to form all over Gippsland calling for more information on what effect the mining could have on the surrounding environment. Gippsland was visited by some who had followed the issue in other states and even a local identity seemingly unconnected with the issue had something to say.

The Opposition chimed in on the issue calling for an inquiry before the State Government took action and imposed a ban on 'fracking' (a method used in coal seam gas mining), mining and exploration until a national plan on the issue had been formulated.

The Environmental Protection Authority monitored the release of water from the mine into the Latrobe River in the following months as disgruntled green groups voiced concerns over the effect of the water on downstream catchments.

Travelling through the Morwell wetlands, a Vline train driver on the Gippsland line noticed a bump on the journey towards Melbourne. What he felt was a dip in the train tracks where soggy foundations caused the line to sink.

Gippsland had a lot to be proud of when athletes of all different descriptions, rowers, basketball players, shot putters, runners and shooters, headed off to the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The Olympics came and went but there was another major sporting event in Gippsland this year. The Great Victorian Bike Ride rolled from Lakes Entrance to Phillip Island and ABC 's Jeremy Lee brought us coverage from the road.

For more Year in Review listen to Gez, Celine and Gus discuss the issues of the year. You can also follow ABC Gippsland on Facebook or Twitter.